The next "Chinaplas" (www.chinaplasonline.com) trade fair will take place from 24-27 April 2018 at the larger, new "NECC" exhibition centre in Shanghai. Even so, booth space at the leading Asian plastics trade fair is overbooked. Organiser Adsale (Hong Kong / China; www.adsale.com.hk) says the demand exceeds 40% of the 340,000 m² hall space now available. By the registration deadline in November 2017, more than 4,500 companies had submitted a request to exhibit. In terms of visitor numbers, Chinaplas will probably be overtaking "K", the world's leading trade fair in Düsseldorf, for the first time – a logical development considering the size of the Chinese market.

Adsale is working to give the trade fair an ever-stronger and comprehensive profile. In 2018, for the first time, there will be a "Young Tech Hall", where more than 350 new exhibitors from various fields, such as raw materials, machinery and processing will showcase their services. In this way, visitors should then get a better overview of the "newcomers". The event is divided into 18 theme zones, with new additions including the "3D Technology" and "Thermoplastic Elastomers & Rubber" areas.

As in previous years, Plasteurope.com publisher the KI Group is again offering an exclusive readers' trip to the mega-event in Shanghai. Participants will travel with other industry colleagues and benefit from first-class organisation, contact with fellow travellers and an attractive guided programme. This avoids time-consuming travel planning and on-site orientation, and allows the focus to turn to exchanging experiences and networking. It is a convenient and competitively priced way of visiting Chinaplas (see www.pieweb.com/chinaplas).